Contents

From his one previous visit the Doctor remembers the inhabitants of the planet Dido as a gentle, peace-loving people.

But when he returns, things have changed dramatically. It seems that the Didoi have brutally massacred the crew of the crashed spaceliner Astra. Even now they are threatening the lives of the sole survivors, Bennett and the orphan girl Vicki.

Why have the Didoi apparently turned against their peaceful natures? Can Bennett and Vicki survive until the rescue ship from Earth arrives? And who is the mysterious Koquillion?

Author Ian Marter died in October 1986, nearly a year before the initial hardcover publication of The Rescue. It was the last of several novelisations that Marter had completed before his death to be published.

An editor's note was added to the book to acknowledge Marter's passing: "Shortly after completing work on The RescueIan Marter died. It was a great loss to his publishers and to the world of Doctor Who as a whole. Ian loved his work on Who both as an actor and a writer of many of the novelisations of the TV shows. He especially enjoyed and appreciated the interest fans showed in his work. And in his absence, it's to all his fans that I'd like to dedicate this, his last book. NR"

The first cover design showing Koquillion standing holding a power tool was rejected.